The Gisborne Herald. IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED “THE TIMES." GISBORNE, TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 1950 REDS ATTACK FRANCE ON TWO FRONTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23196, 7 March 1950, Page 4

The Gisborne Herald. IN WHICH IS INCORPORATED “THE TIMES." GISBORNE, TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 1950 REDS ATTACK FRANCE ON TWO FRONTS

THE main significance of the resurgence of strikes in France is I'ne link I hev form with Communist strategy not only in Europe hut in the Far Mast as well. Their purpose is believed to be twofold, to weaken France and to offset Foiled States economic and military aid, and to convince others of this weakness, principally the Chinese Communists who are now on the borders of Indo-Chiua, thereby encouraging them to “liberate” ihc Indo-Chinese. Today Indo-China holds the key to the future of South-Fast Asia just as a strong, resolute, united France would be a barrier to communism in Europe. The scenes in the French National Assembly in the past, few days have demonstrated the intensity of the Communists’ endeavours and have understandably drawn from,the veteran Assembly president, M. Horriot, the remark: “I am beginning to wonder if this is not the end of Parliament.” France's recovery has been watched by Moscow with concern. The administration of M. Queuille which lasted for .13 months was marked by the successful handling of several emergencies and by a degree of political stability that in 1947 and early in 1948 appeared to he almost impossible of achievement. Ever since the Allied victory in Europe, France has been burdened hv high food costs, due in great part to the farmers’ lack of confidence in the franc. M. Queuille’s strenuous campaign to reduce food prices and to bold wages in check produced impressive results. Last year, however, the drought set up new stresses in France’s economy and food prices again began to rise. Higher Wages Demand Exploited

This unloosed an agitation for higher wages, a campaign that Ihe Communists did all they could to foster. The flovernment soon found itself on the edge of a political precipice. Then the devaluation of sterling, carried out with a suddenness and to an extent for which France was unprepared, pushed M. Queuille over the edge. The Communists immediately renewed their efforts to exploit the situation. On Iho one hand there was a demand for a return lo collective bargaining, involving the lifting of the Government’s controls on wage rates; on the other there was an insistence that nothing should be done that might revive inflationary trends or weaken French competitive power in foreign markets. M. Ridanlt’s Government is a patched-up administration. It is a minority Government depending on the Socialists for support from the outside. In fact it can only with difficulty he called a Government, as its survival depends on doing as little as possible that is controversial. Since the last elections, when many workers are stated to have voted for the Communists from sheer perplexity, France has drifted to the Right and the critics complain that the Assembly no longer corresponds to the mood of the people. Disillusionment with France’s mild efforts at socialisation, which the French seem temperamentally unable to administer, has been stimulated by the prodigious costs of the nationalised industries and by sensational scandals in administration.

Last month two prominent Rightwingers were reported to he emerging as leaders of the discontent. One was the 70-year-old ex-Prime Minister, M. Reynaud. at the head of a group of moderates and independents, and M. Dnladier, another former Prime Minister, heading his Radical Socialists who, incidentally, stand a little to the Right of the British Conservatives. These two men governed France between the wars and some observers say that they could command a majority of votes in the nation.

Attempt to Stop Supplies For Indo-China

In the midst of this turmoil the Communists have launched a “peace campaign” calling for “concrete action and not mere propaganda” against the manufacture and transport of materials intended for military operations in Indo-China. Numerous strikes occurred in January and February, and the “peace campaign” was extended to war materials from the United States. President Auriol last month intervened, saying that such activities could not he regarded as covered by the constitutional guarantee of the right to strike, as they were undertaken not in support of economic demands hut to sabotage national defence. Legislation has been introduced fixing heavy penalties for agitation and sabotage, and it is this hill which is being fought tooth and nail by the Communists on the ground that it limits the right to strike. In a recent statement, which concluded with “fraternal greetings” to the striking dockers, seamen, railwaymen and metal workers refusing to load war materials for Viet Nam, the Communists claimed that the “history of the French working class movement shows that on many occasions strikes have been launched not only in defence of economic claims hut also with clear-cut political objectives.” Official circles in London are reported to view the Communist displays as “essentially theatrical,” and they believe that they will weaken the Communists. Moscow’s aim, they state, is to impress General Mao Tse-tung who is isolated from all hut Sovietcontrolled information about France; flic objective is to persuade him that the French Communists can effectively paralyse any French action in Indo-China and that he could therefore intervene in support of the r’ebel leader, Dr. Ho Chi-mirth, without running any serious risk. The pattern is plain but the outcome is not certain. In this shrewd game bordering on Avar it is necessary to Avatch at least four countries—France, Russia, China and Indo-China.